“When we graduated we never saw each other again until 2012,” she said.

It was in September of 2012, 25 years later, that fate intervened.

For approximately 18 years, Christy lived in Manassass, Va., before moving back to Jacksonville to help her mother, who will be 80 in November.

Tony, a brick mason, was working at Camp Lejuene building barracks, and was living in Jacksonville at his mother’s home during the week and traveling back to his home and his daughter Hannah, who is 19, in Raleigh on the weekends.

Her first weekend back, Christy went to their old family church in Maysville and ran into Tony’ sister, Renee, who invited Christy over to their mother’s house.

“She was very persistent,” Christy said, adding that she had tried to reschedule a time to visit, but Renee wouldn’t have it.

When they got to the house, Christy saw Tony.

He had stayed in Jacksonville that weekend rather than commuting home to Raleigh.

“That was the best decision I ever made, that weekend,” he said, recalling no particular reason why he chose to stay.

“I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen him in all this time,” Christy said. “We just always kept missing each other all these years … I couldn’t get out of the car. I was shocked.”

When she finally did, she said Tony’s face lit up and he picked her up off the ground.

“The whole thing was played out like a movie,” she said.

For Tony, he said it was like destiny.

“I just think I was destined to be with her,” he said. “It was like I had never stopped loving her ... When I saw her I loved her right then.”

Page 2 of 3 - Tony said he knew immediately that he wanted to marry Christy.

“I dated other women, but when I saw her, I knew she was going to be my wife. I just knew it,” he said. “I wasn’t going to let her go again.”

And what does the now bride-to-be think of their unlikely reunion?

“We know it’s nothing but God,” she said.

After dating for a while, Tony said he wanted to ask Christy out formally, so he sent her a very familiar message.

“He repeated how he asked me out when we were kids,” Christy said, laughing about the text message that read “Will you be my girlfriend? Yes or no.”

On their one year anniversary, Tony proposed.

“Tony did the southern gent thing,” she said. “He called (Christy’s son) R.J. the day before proposing and asked him for permission.”

When he popped the question, Christy was braiding her daughter Sierra’s hair, and he asked Sierra first if she would be OK with him marrying her mother.

After Sierra said yes, he asked Christy herself and she said yes as well, stating that she knew it was coming but didn’t know when.

Now, Tony and Christy are engaged to be married at 4 p.m. June 14 at their home church where they grew up all those years ago.

“We love coming home,” Christy said of having the ceremony in Maysville even though they live and will continue to reside in Raleigh. “It’s where we grew up together and it first started.”

Christy said they also had both always said they would get married in the church, but neither did for their first marriages.

“We just say we saved it for each other,” she said.

The couple said everybody is “really excited” including their children — Christy’s 22-year-old son R.J. and 15-year-old daughter Sierra; and Tony’s 19-year-old daughter Hannah.

Tony said Hannah developed a quick bond with his fiancee.

“She fell in love with Christy,” he said. “Christy is so easy to talk to and get along with.”

Christy added that both of their mothers are excited as well.

“She loves him dearly,” Christy said of her mom, who also told Christy that she thinks their reunion isn’t just coincidence either and perhaps they weren’t ready in the past, but are now. “She thinks it was God’s way of getting us back together.”

For their friends and family, Christy said they get teased a lot because of how much they are always laughing together.

R.J. will be giving Christy away at the ceremony. Sierra will serve as Christy’s maid of honor and Hannah will be a bridesmaid.

Page 3 of 3 - “What I’m most excited about the wedding is her being my wife,” Tony said. “I cannot wait for her to carry my last name.”

The reception will be a picnic at the Belgrade Community Action Center and Park in Maysville, and guests are encouraged to bring their dancing shoes.